Dr. Claudia Major


Research Division: International Security
Head of Research Division

claudia.major(at)swp-berlin.org

phone:+49 30 88007-430

since 2010: Advisory Board for Civilian Crisis Prevention of the Federal Foreign Office

2008-2009 Center for Security Studies, ETH Zurich

2007 European Union Institute for Security Studies, Paris

since 2006 Lecturer, Institut d'Etudes Politiques/Sciences Po Paris

2005-2007 Fellow of the European Foreign and Security Policy Studies Programme

2001-2003 Public Affairs, IPA Network Berlin

2000-2001 German Council on Foreign Relations; Berlin

Areas of Expertise:

Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), Defence and security policy / Armed forces, German defence and security policy, Nato


SWP Publications (selection):

Claudia Major, Nicolai von Ondarza

No “Global Britain” after Brexit

Leaving the EU Weakens UK Foreign and Security Policy, Closer Ties Remain in Germany’s Interest

SWP Comment 2018/C 24, June 2018, 8 Pages
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 | 182 KB
Claudia Major, Jeffrey Rathke

NATO Needs Deterrence and Dialogue

Defining the New Balance in View of the Warsaw Summit

SWP Comment 2016/C 18, April 2016, 4 Pages
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 | 98 KB
Claudia Major, Alicia von Voß

Nordic-Baltic Security, Germany and NATO

The Baltic Sea Region Is a Test Case for European Security

SWP Comment 2016/C 13, March 2016, 8 Pages
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 | 80 KB
Margarete Klein, Claudia Major

Perspectives for NATO-Russia Relations

Forms of Confrontation Dominate – But Dialogue not Excluded

SWP Comment 2015/C 49, November 2015, 4 Pages
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 | 93 KB
Claudia Major

NATO’s Strategic Adaptation

Germany Is the Backbone for the Alliance’s Military Reorganisation

SWP Comment 2015/C 16, March 2015, 4 Pages
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 | 94 KB

External Publications (selection):

Claudia Major

Catalyst or crisis?

COVID-19 and European Security

NDC Policy Brief 17-20, 22.10.2020
Claudia Major, Christian Mölling

Europe, Germany and defense: priorities and challenges of the German EU presidency and the way ahead for European Defense

An ambitious agenda meets COVID-19

Fondation pour la recherche stratégique, Note no. 63/20, 13.10.2020
Claudia Major, Christian Mölling

The EU’s military legacy. Over-institutionalised, under-equipped and strategically divided

In: Fiott, Daniel (ed.), The CSDP In 2020. The EU’s legacy and ambition in security and defence, S. 38-49 (Paris, 2020).
Claudia Major

Germany’s Dangerous Nuclear Sleepwalking

Germany’s complicated relationship with nuclear weapons could turn into a big risk for European security

In: Strategic Europe, Carnegie Europe, 25.01.2018
Claudia Major, Christian Mölling

The Twenty-First-Century German Question in European Defense

Berlin’s framework nations concept is the centerpiece of a new interlinked European system of defense that binds Germany to its core

In: Strategic Europe, Carnegie Europe, 20.07.2017

Working Papers of the Research Division (selection):

Claudia Major, Christian Mölling, Alicia von Voß

The State of Defence Cooperation in Europe

Working Paper, FG 03-WP No 3, December 2013, 14 pages
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 | 188 KB
Stefan Krümpelmann, Claudia Major

Enter the European Institute of Peace: Competing with or strengthening the European Union?

Working Paper FG03-WP No 2 May 2013 Berlin , 8 Pages
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 | 106 KB
Claudia Major, Stefan Steinicke

EU Member States' Perceptions of the Security Relevance of the High North

Working Paper FG 2, 2011/No. 4, FG 3, 2011/No. 5, October 2011, 15 Pages
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 | 152 KB
Claudia Major, Eva Strickmann

You can't always get what you want – Logistical Challenges in EU Military Operations

FG03-WP No 03, June 2011, Berlin, 6 pages
Download (PDF)
 | 114 KB

Special articles (selection):

Eva Gross, Daniel Hamilton, Claudia Major, Henning Riecke (eds.)

Preventing Conflict, Managing Crisis

European and American Perspectives

Publication by the Center for Transatlantic Relations, December 2011, 154 pages
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 | 1.5 MB

In the Media/ »Point of View« (selection):

Claudia Major, Christian Mölling

« La crise dans la coopération industrielle franco-allemande pourrait devenir une crise de l’intégration européenne »

Les différences entre Paris et Berlin menacent de faire éclater un projet-phare de la coopération d’armement, le système de combat aérien du futur. En cas d’échec, l’Europe risque d’en payer lourdement le prix, avertissent Claudia Major et Christian Mölling, tous deux chercheurs, dans une tribune au « Monde »

In: Le Monde, 17.11.2020 (online)
Claudia Major, Christian Mölling

Saving European Defense From the Coronavirus Pandemic

The coronavirus pandemic will harm European defense strategically, politically, and financially. To mitigate these consequences, Europeans must start shaping joint and immediate answers.

in: Carnegie Europe, 30.04.2020 (online)
Claudia Major, Christian Mölling

« L’armée européenne : un projet prématuré »

Vu d’Allemagne, le projet d’une armée européenne est plutôt bien accueilli. Mais l’enthousiasme qu’il soulève est fondé sur une incompréhension entre Paris et Berlin qui augure mal de son avenir, assurent les chercheurs Claudia Major et Christian Mölling dans une tribune au « Monde ».

In: Le Monde, 26.11.2018 (online)
Claudia Major, Amélie Lohmann

The Silent Revolution in European Defense

With its new European Defense Fund, the EU is reaching an unprecedented milestone: funding the defense industry. This could be the much needed boost to allow European Defense to stand on its own feet, argue Amélie Lohmann and Claudia Major.

Point of View, 24.07.2017
Claudia Major

Man Up to Trump

Europeans should be more self-confident about their role in NATO. An upcoming summit with Trump in Brussels is the perfect opportunity

in: Handelsblatt Global, 19.05.2017 (online)

Media quotes (selection):

Daniel Desesquelle

Joe Biden et l’Europe

Carrefour de l'Europe, Podcast avec Nicole Gnesotto, Claudia Major et Tara Varma, 22.01.2021 (online)

News

Claudia Major, Christian Mölling: Less Talk, More Action. Europe has to move beyond toxic debates about “autonomy” or “sovereignty” toward tangible policies

Claudia Major, Christian Mölling: Europe, Germany and defense: priorities and challenges of the German EU presidency and the way ahead for European Defense

Claudia Major, Germany’s Dangerous Nuclear Sleepwalking

Claudia Major, Pauli Järvenpää, Sven Sakkov: European Strategic Autonomy: Operationalising a Buzzword


SWP Comments

Michael Paul
A New Arctic Strategy for the EU

Maritime Security and Geopolitical Signalling

Michael Paul
Greenland’s Project Independence

Ambitions and Prospects after 300 Years with the Kingdom of Denmark

SWP Research Papers

Anja Dahlmann, Marcel Dickow
Preventive Regulation of Autonomous Weapon Systems

Need for Action by Germany at Various Levels

Hanns Günther Hilpert, Oliver Meier (eds.)
Facets of the North Korea Conflict

Actors, Problems and Europe’s Interests